Oil and gas industry

As a top oil and gas producer, New Mexico has some of the strictest emissions rules in the country. That includes a state Environment Department rule that went into effect last year that aims to reduce ozone-causing air pollution by 260 million pounds a year. However, Environment Secretary James Kenney says the agency is falling short on enforcing the rules and is asking the Legislature to help change that.

Oil and gas money is all over the New Mexico Roundhouse. It accounts for 35% of the state budget proposal this year, according to the Legislative Finance Committee. It’s also in the campaign coffers of politicians on both sides of the aisle. It’s within this landscape that debates around expanding or restricting fossil fuel production take place.

Financial consultants warned members of the Revenue Stabilization & Tax Policy Committee Monday that the state’s reliance on the notoriously boom-and-bust oil and gas sector is risky. They implored lawmakers to reform taxes and diversify the economy to protect itself.

State health officials are encouraging the immunization of children against flu and COVID-19 without making changes to its list of other vaccines required for school entry in the fall of 2023.

New rules recently implemented by the state aimed at reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas industry are being challenged by an industry group. Environmental organizations are now stepping in to stop that appeal, claiming it would harm communities of color across the state.

An attack ad by a Republican support group claims that Democratic Congressional candidate Gabe Vasquez would kill 62,000 New Mexico oil and gas jobs. Journalist Jerry Redfern at Capital and Main has dug into that claim and spoke to KUNM reporter Alice Fordham.

New Mexicans will decide in the General Election if a new official will come in to manage state land or go with an incumbent that supports renewable energy while overseeing the largest production from extractive businesses in state history.

Environmental organizations from all over the country are gathering in New York to celebrate the state’s annual Climate Week event alongside the United Nations General Assembly. One of them––the U.S. Climate Alliance––is made up of states committed to addressing climate change. It released a report showing New Mexico and the 23 other states under its umbrella are polluting less and saving more energy.

An analysis released Tuesday shows over 144,000 New Mexicans live or attend school near oil and gas operations. Environmental advocates are warning of health consequences and calling on the federal government to step up its regulation of the industry.

The Bureau of Land Management held an online question and answer session February 24 to explain its proposed plan to ban new oil and gas leases around the historic Chaco Canyon site, and take questions.